Statement on the House Republicans attempt to repeal Affordable Care Act
In celebration of the 7th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday while we anticipate a potentially catastrophic vote on Friday, New York State Assembly Member and DNC Vice Chair Michael Blake released the following statement:
“On Thursday, we celebrated the 7th Anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, a bill which provides health insurance for millions of Americans who could not afford it or were denied it because of a pre-existing condition. We celebrated the lives that were saved due to this bill and the families that are able to rest easier because they are not sacrificing healthcare for basic necessities while reaffirming the belief that the right to affordable health care must be a core value of our democracy. However, we now face a challenge to our values.
Since its passage, Republicans have prioritized repealing the Affordable Care Act and taking away healthcare for 24 million Americans. This obsession with denying people their basic needs is inhumane and we must reject this unacceptable action when the House Republicans intend to vote on repealing health care later today.
President Trump and the Republicans in Congress have hitched their wagon to a bill that would be devastating to the American people, and as a result have found it nearly impossible to gain a consensus, resulting in endless revisions and delays on a bill that is simply unwanted. The House GOP didn't have the votes yesterday, and instead of trying to help people by expanding the law, they are going to to try again today to repeal it.
One of the greatest honors of my life was to serve President Obama in his administration to help with the passage of the Affordable Care Act. The A.C.A. is personal for me as I was born with a heart murmur, my mother beat Breast Cancer and to this day deals with asthma, and my father succumbed to skin cancer. Healthcare is not just a policy on paper; it is saving lives. Yes, the law can have improvements but repealing it as absolutely unacceptable and inhumane. I urge all Americans to denounce this bill and stand up to oppose the repeal. We must continue to #Resist by calling 202-225-5265 to demand answers from Congressman Chris Collins on his horrendous proposal that would severely impact the coverage of 2.1 million New Yorkers who enrolled under the medicaid expansion and call on all House Republicans to answer why they are absolutely adamant in trying to take away health coverage for 24 million Americans. Congress must work in the best interest of the American people. Healthcare reform should benefit all people not just profit CEOs of Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies. As an Assembly Member from the diverse county in America and a DNC Vice Chair, I will continue to fight for those most at risk, because true public service requires it. We should do everything we can do to provide health care not take it away."
EDITOR'S NOTE:
There was no vote on Friday as the House Republican leader withdrew the legislation for now.
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